Last weekend my 4k BGE Onan generator was doing fine. I changed the oil just like I have done every time for years and then fired it up and let it run for a while. When I shut it down it was doing great. Today I hit the start button and it turns over really slow, maybe one or two times and quits. I first suspected the battery, pulled it and put it on the charger. The charger says it's good. I metered it and it's 13.3 volts. I reinstalled it and checked the voltage at the cable end at the generator and it good. Do these generators use starters and comutators? Where should I start looking for the issue here? It's not a fuel, spark or oil issue.

To eliminate the battery as being the problem and if you have a boost switch on the dash, activate it and try the genset again. It will connect the house and coach batteries (which I guess you know).That 13.3 volts your reading may be a surface charge.

I ruled out a not so good battery by putting a charger pack on generator. I think mine was a bge. It cranked like a champ. I ended up putting a set of golf cart batteries, cleaned all battery connections and put a dab of grease to fight corrosion. It was fine till I sold coach. Remember the voltage you are reading is only part of it. The amperage can get reduced by bad battery bad ground or whatever. I like to put in terms of plumbing. A half inch pipe and 2.5 inch firehose both show 100 psi but the volume is quite different.

The battery is two weeks old. I suppose it could be bad but, seems unlikely. I'm going to run jumper cables from my car to the battery and give it a try tomorrow.

falconbrother wrote:The battery is two weeks old. I suppose it could be bad but, seems unlikely. I'm going to run jumper cables from my car to the battery and give it a try tomorrow.And if that doesn't work either, before you go tearing the starter apart consider removing the spark plugs to see if any fuel or oil blows out the holes when it turns over that way (the problem might be hydro-lock). It is also possible that the contacts in the solenoid are burnt, in which case jumping at the battery wouldn't help.

What is the SPEC number of the BGE? Most Onans in the past 25 years use a Starter. Older Onans used the Armature and brushes to start. If it turns over slowly and you do indeed have a starter, VOLTAGE would be suspect. You need to get a voltage reading at the battery connection at the Genset before starting and when trying to start to see the voltage drop. Doug

4k BGE generator turns over slowly | Good Sam Community

dougrainer
Nomad
Dec 04, 2016
What is the SPEC number of the BGE? Most Onans in the past 25 years use a Starter. Older Onans used the Armature and brushes to start. If it turns over slowly and you do indeed have a starter, VOLTAGE would be suspect. You need to get a voltage reading at the battery connection at the Genset before starting and when trying to start to see the voltage drop. Doug
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Dec 04, 2016
falconbrother wrote:
The battery is two weeks old. I suppose it could be bad but, seems unlikely. I'm going to run jumper cables from my car to the battery and give it a try tomorrow.

And if that doesn't work either, before you go tearing the starter apart consider removing the spark plugs to see if any fuel or oil blows out the holes when it turns over that way (the problem might be hydro-lock).

It is also possible that the contacts in the solenoid are burnt, in which case jumping at the battery wouldn't help.
falconbrother
Explorer II
Dec 04, 2016
The battery is two weeks old. I suppose it could be bad but, seems unlikely. I'm going to run jumper cables from my car to the battery and give it a try tomorrow.
stew47
Explorer
Dec 04, 2016
I ruled out a not so good battery by putting a charger pack on generator. I think mine was a bge. It cranked like a champ. I ended up putting a set of golf cart batteries, cleaned all battery connections and put a dab of grease to fight corrosion. It was fine till I sold coach. Remember the voltage you are reading is only part of it. The amperage can get reduced by bad battery bad ground or whatever. I like to put in terms of plumbing. A half inch pipe and 2.5 inch firehose both show 100 psi but the volume is quite different.
Tinstar
Explorer
Dec 03, 2016
To eliminate the battery as being the problem and if you have a boost switch on the dash, activate it and try the genset again. It will connect the house and coach batteries (which I guess you know).

That 13.3 volts your reading may be a surface charge.

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4k BGE generator turns over slowly

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